NBA Bargains 2/24/17

NBA Bargains 2/24/17

Happy Friday! Let us look at the games from this strong, 10-game slate and find the bargain plays that make our lineups hit the top of the standings. I am targeting at/below 10K on Fantasy Draft, 5.5K on FanDuel and 5K on DraftKings. LET’S DO THIS!

NOTE: Stay tuned to FanVice for updates and analysis of the breaking news in regards to the values that open up throughout the evening leading up to lineup lock.

Point Guards

Tyler Johnson – MIA at ATL – $5,700 (FD), $5,000 (DK), $9,900 (FDRAFT) – Even with Dion Waiters back in full effect, Johnson has settled into a solid 30-32 minutes, 20-22% raw usage role which usually lands him in a 28-32 fantasy point range. With the Hawks backcourt being defensively challenged, Johnson is a solid play in a 208 game total tonight.

Jordan Clarkson – LAL at OKC – $4,400 (FD), $4,800 (DK), $9,500 (FDRAFT) – Lou Williams, and his massive bench usage, is off to Houston, and while Corey Brewer comes to LA, he is less of a direct compete to Clarkson than Lou was. Now with 30 minutes per game likely, his usual 23-25% raw usage, and a 221 game total, of which the Lakers are implied for 105 points, Clarkson stands to outgain his salary while the sites adjust for his expanded role.

Shooting Guards

Seth Curry – DAL at MIN – $5,400 (FD), $4,500 (DK), $8,800 (FDRAFT) – Did you hear the one about Deron Williams getting released? Curry has emerged this season and now is looking at a consistent 33-35 minutes per game, which along with his 20% raw usage (with some upside now), makes him a great target on DK/FDRAFT tonight against the bottom ten defensive rating (over the last 10 games) of Minnesota.

Nik Stauskas – PHI vs. WAS – $4,100 (FD), $3,900 (DK), $7,700 (FDRAFT) – Should continue to draw the start for the 76ers and get 26-30 minutes of playing time. I like him better on DK/FDRAFT where you get the three point shot bonus and this game is showing a strong 216 game total. Tourney punt play only, but also consider that the Sixers have had Nik controlling the ball more often, leading to his assist rate gradually rising over the last 10 games.

Small Forwards

T.J. Warren – PHX at CHI – $5,000 (FD), $4,600 (DK), $9,100 (FDRAFT) – Our long P.J. Tucker in PHX nightmare is over! I expect to see Warren, now free from the Earl Watson induced shackles, to go back to his low 20s usage ways we saw towards the beginning of the season and become a much needed third option on the top line with Eric Bledsoe and Devin Booker.

Josh Richardson – MIA at ATL – $5,300 (FD), $4,000 (DK), $7,800 (FDRAFT) – Richardson will play 25-30 minutes at PG/SG/SF tonight, so that means he will get some exposure to some of the soft underbelly of the Hawks defense. His prices are much more attractive on DK/FDRAFT and would be a tourney only figure here due to the nature of the crowded backcourt situation in Miami.

Power Forwards

Bobby Portis – CHI vs. PHX – $4,200 (FD), $5,000 (DK), $9,800 (FDRAFT) – Free Bobby Portis has finally come true now that Taj Gibson has been traded, or so we think. Let us assume so, as we saw the Bulls, even before the break, starting to expand Portis’ role, getting 25 minutes and 28.6% raw usage in a tight game against Boston right before the time off.

Derrick Favors – UTA at MIL – $4,800 (FD), $5,000 (DK), $9,800 (FDRAFT) – Value at PF shrinks up quick, so the cash game 25-28 minutes, point per minute play of Favors, against the sixth worst defense over the past five games in the Bucks, is a solid place to land.

Centers:

Jahlil Okafor – PHI vs. WAS – $4,500 (FD), $5,200 (DK), $10,200 (FDRAFT) – Awwwwkwaaaard. With Nerlens Noel heading to DAL, and Joel Embiid out, the Sixers have to use Okafor upwards to 30 minutes. The last time he played 30 minutes was against, ta-da, the Wizards, where he posted a 29% raw usage, 38.80 FD point game.

Pau Gasol – SAS at LAC – $6,200 (FD), $4,900 (DK), $9,700 (FDRAFT) – Pau is probable and while his FanDuel price is more consistent with his past performance before injury, his DK/FDRAFT prices are tremendous values in a plus matchup against DeAndre Jordan and the Clippers. Against the Clippers earlier in the year, Pau posted a 31 minutes, 38.75 DK point performance.

Good luck, players! – JW

I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is jaywalker72) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above.

About The Author

Jason Walker has been passionately playing fantasy sports since Dickie Thon was relevant and has written for DraftKings Playbook and formerly Daily Fantasy Boot Camp. He wants to bring that passion in research, statistics and all information to FanVice readers and expand this great community.